Helen Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 This would be a good section for anyone who has already had a combined inspection to tell others about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 21, 2003 Share Posted February 21, 2003 We have yet to have our combined inspection - we have just had our Inspection of Setting from OFSTED though. Seems they don't have time to do the combined inspections yet (down 'ere in Devon anyway!) so we were told that this would be an inspection of setting this time and at least another year, maybe 2 before we see them again. We were OFSTEDED properly just over 2 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerys Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 We had the equivalent of the old social services inspection last June. It was just for the morning session and it was fine. The most nerve-wracking thing is not knowing whether or not "this is the morning!". Once she had arrived, introduced herself and got on with melting into the background or playing with the children, we all relaxed. Our last full inspection was February 2000 so I expect we'll have a full one fairly soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 I received my notification yesterday, Wednesday, that we are to have our combined inspection in November!! I have told my staff today and they are, not surprisingly, somewhat apprehensive about the event. I have reassured them that we have nothing to worry about and they know that themselves but it is a little bit daunting even so!! :wacko: We have not had an education inspection since July 1999 so three of my staff will be new to this and are uncertain what to expect. I have told them that we are all doing a great job and that the fact that we are busy and that parents come back to us and recommend us to friends and family prooves this. I would appreciate any comments from people who have gone through the combined inspection process. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 Hi Helen Had the dreaded brown envelope through the post this morning - combined inspection in February - this along with us trying to finish our accreditation for april!!!!! Will let you know how it goes (like how many inspectors come and for how long they stay!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 Hi Hali - I think Helen might have some news on that front as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 Hi Hali Good luck with your inspection. We had ours in November and it wasn't quite as bad as we had anticipated-I can say that now that it is over and done with!!! But seriously, if you are going through accreditation you will have most of the care stuff in place. Just be confident with what you are doing! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 hi Thank you all will keep you posted on how it goes!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cat33 Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 hali, good luck! Just remember to keep some time for you and your family when the time gets nearer. Just think, by Easter it will all be over!! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Spent some time going through our local Ofsted inspections for recent combined reports. However only managed to find a few, infact only three in a ten mile radius whoo had had a combined inspection. I think it is a good idea to go through this because if you know the inspector who will be visiting at least you can see what angles they like/dislike as they all seem to differ. What I was amazed at was one particular group who is an acrredited group, got "goods" and "very goods" across all the areas of learning and then ended up with an overall - "satifactory" - so how do they weight this. I have been told by a local developmet worker that if you get satisfactory it is good - so if satisfactory is good - what is good then - better than good and very good - exceptional. Seems pretty confusing to me!! Satisfactory is a horrible word to use - why don't they just say pass or fail!!!! 1-2 years revisit or 2-4 years revisit. So any of you who have got a good - well you have done good! Well done. Nikki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I would agree that "satisfatory" isnt a very encouraging discription of a group we were given satisfactory and I felt like they should use a more positive word the inspector said she was happy with the provisiton but had to give satisfactory because there was room for improvement but a parent reads the words satisfactory and thinks what?? I asked a few parents for feed back and they said it makes the group sound one step above failing!!! we are far from that I dont see the point of giving good or satisfactory because a good setting may not suit all children and a satisfactory one may have some exceptional qualities that would get over looked because of an overall satisfactory rating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 My childminding Ofsted combined inspection is due anytime now although i'm moving house next month so if it's going to be Feb i think i will have to try and put them off for a month os two. I am interested to see how it will differ from my usual inspection though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenacre Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Re Combined Inspections; We had ours in June 2003 and have not yet received the report. It has taken 2 months of trying by phone to speak to a human being at Ofsted. In the end I resorted to E-Mail and did get a reply saying that during busy times, the phone calls were put through to answer machines, the tapes of which then became full and deleted the messages by recording over them. Great service! Not even what I would call "satisfactory". I have also been chasing up the results of police checks sent in July 2003 and not yet received!. On the subject of 'satifsfactory' we were told before our inspection even started that we wouldn't rate any higher than this because hardly any one does. What is the point in that? Never mind only another few months and we'll probably get the next inspector round for the annual trauma and expecting miracles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Hi Greenacre Welcome to the site and thanks for your first post. Things don't seem to have improved much as regards to efficiency within OFSTED at times. I know a lot of people who have had difficulties with receiving post from them etc. I suppose you just have to keep nagging and hopefully they will come through with your certificate. I hadn't heard that most groups would only get a satisfactory-we had heard on the grape vine that nobody gets a very good. But we have some pre-schools and nurseries in Stockport who have. We got a good and I was very pleased with that. What reinspection time period did you get? Ours was two years for the care aspect and four for education. Gives us some breathing space, thank goodness!!! Good luck with getting your certificate-I think I would put it in writing if I were you. You nmight get somewhere that way-hopefully!!! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenacre Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Linday Thanks for reply. We actually did get a 'good' for our care inspection and satisfactory for education. I think though it was 6 months ago! Our re-inspection time is 3 - 4 years on education, but I was under the impression that all care inspections would be done annually, like the old social services check. Believe me I will be putting all this in writing if only to make me feel better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 The care inspections have been extended to 2 years if you got a good-I think they are having problems getting everybody inspected annually. I get the impression it is too big a job because they have all the private day nurseries, pre-schools, out of school clubs and childminders to do. So, if they were happy with you then it should be two years if not they will come back earlier. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 Well had our report through today from our combined inspection and thank goodness only one key issue which was to get our climbing frame out more........yipeeeeeeee. - no problem (only accreditation to go now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 Well! Well done hali's Inspector!! We had our combined in Jan and are still waiting. I keep telling the boss he should start rattling the cage He just says " Don't rock the boat, they might come back and give us a bad one!" :rolleyes: We got Good for Care and Very Good for education. He won't listen to the practitioners - we keep telling him they won't do anything of the sort!!!!!!!! That's what happens when the boss is a Computer Boffin, not a Practitioner (Sorry Steve! ) Will let you know when it comes - not holding my breath, tho' :wacko: Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 Oy! Boffin is as Boffin does, that's what I say... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 Well done Hali, I'm sure it was all deserved! By the way, how often are you meant to get the climbing frame out....................................?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Well! Speak of the devil! Have just heard that our report has arrived!!! I haven't seen a copy yet, and don't look as if I will for a while as it's being sent back because it is " full of spelling mistakes and bad english" ( ). When I get to see it I'll let you know. Steve - where did you get THAT signature - or are you just showing off! Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Hi, sorry some of you are having problems with ofsted but also pretty glad...now I know it's not just us!! We were to have our inspection in June 03, that changed to Nov 03, and then a phone call on Dec 1 to say inspection would be folowing week. The inspection lasted 1 hr 45 minutes (this was a full day inspection!) The report arrived two days ago, almost 5 months late and with so many errors I'm not sure it's really our report. I have phoned ofsted loads of times in the last 5 months, the inspector is off sick (and has been since Christmas) so the report was written by some-one else (who is now on holiday) Our registration has changed, why? We no longer have to follow the National Standards, why? The report says we dont allow the children to use malleable materials, we do! We aren't allowing the children to practice writting , we are! In the last phone call, today, I told them I have no confidence in their ability to check setting's are following all guildlines and would like another inspection by somebody competent to carry one out. Will wait and see what happens next...but I'm not going to hold my breath that anything WILL happen. Hope everyone else has better luck than us, in the meantime I'm going to rely on our parents to tell me if they are happy and ask for their input, it's got to be more relevent than the shambolic organisation called ofsted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 Hi Rea - what a pity your first post is to do with this - you must be very angry about your inspection. I can only advise you to make a formal, written complaint as soon as possible and copy it to your EYDCP. They should be able to back you up 100%. Are you a member of a professional body as well? If so it may be asking them to get involved too. You have been treated appallingly and I definitely wouldn't give up without a fight! By the way, I attended the quarterly EYDCP meeting for our County this week and our Senior Inspector (who is fab.by the way) attends every meeting, maybe you and a member of your EYDCP could meet yours face to face??? Hang on in there and remember that at the end of the day its the children that count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted May 6, 2004 Share Posted May 6, 2004 Dear LJW, Thanks for replying, I'm seeing our EY teacher next week so I will definenetly speak to her (sorry about spelling!) I have at last managed to speak to one of the inspectors and our committee have written a letter of complaint, so we will wait and see what happens next. What amazes me most is the fact that this organisation is supposed to be regulating and checking us and they are unable to regulate themselves, it's scarey to think that if ofsted are making such cock ups, what sort of settings are slipping through the net?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 I had my OFSTED inspection this week, all went well, no action points, Inspector was lovely, and she joined in witht he children on her hands and knees All the late nights and sitting in front of computer paid off, as she said policies and planning were very comprehensive, and I have to say that it is thanks to this site and all the information I have gathered and used that all the paperwork was excellent. so.... Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Excellent trea Makes you wonder why we panic so much dosnt it...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Well done Trea! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Congratulations Trea. Nice relaxing weekend ahead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 thanks guys, yep, a nice relaxing weekend ahead, visiting a new tattooist tomorrow, with husband, and i'm very jealous as he is getting tattooed and I have to wait until June 7th!! hali, I agree totally, why do we worry so much! it's the waiting that is so much more nerve wracking than the actual inspection! But i'm sure it won't stop me next time around Trea x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 No Trea it wont ....thats the annoying thing 3/4 years time we will be in the same position all over again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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